Culture

Angry about the rain? Call this hotline to complain about the weather

If you're the type that can't help but complain about the rain, extending it beyond the realms of small talk, then there's a hotline for you.

Weather Rant is a "professional service" that allows Australians to vent about the climate, leaving their vexations on an answering machine. Because if you can't get that heat out of your home, why not do it over the phone?

Garrick took out ads for the service in a few rural newspapers around Australia and did poster runs around Australia, aiming to reach a wide set of people bothered by the weather that wasn't just a younger art-going public.

"Often I've felt frustrated about being stuck in a thunderstorm or being really sunburnt after a day at the beach, and want to complain to someone, which is how I had the idea for such a service," Garrick told Mashable Australia via email.

Through listening to the messages left on the phone line's voicemail, Garrick found people were "very emotionally linked" to the weather and felt the need to talk about it.

"Small things can effect our emotional state and talking about the weather is seen as this kinda banal thing, but its actually quite meaningful and linked to our psychological condition," she added.

Garrick believes that most of the callers were younger, although there are older callers who did ring up — but not to complain about their barbecue plans being dashed, as the youth did.

"The older people generally complained about the weather affecting their physical health, for example heat effecting arthritis or some kind of chronic health condition, whereas the younger people were more concerned about the weather ruining their plans to do things."

On her favourite message, Garrick says she finds many fascinating — but her pick would be a younger man who was concerned about his bike tar melting on him.

"I also like another one that talks about the lunar patterns and the moon and the gentleman is obviously very concerned with humidity and global warming. There was a great deal of memorable text messages also, from disgruntled pensioners."

Instead of relying on a patient ear to direct your climate related rage, better just leave it for Weather Vent.

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